Best deal for a starter planer?

[BigguyZ]

With the tax refund I'll have a little spending money. I don't want to burn through it all, but I would like to finally get a planer.

So, what's the best bang for the buck? I know the Dewalt 735 is a nice model, but that's a little too pricey. However, I don't want to get a piece of crap that won't give me good results or reliability...

Suggestions?

Thanks,
Travis

[Bruce Cohen]

So, what's the best bang for the buck? I know the Dewalt 735 is a nice model, but that's a little too pricey. However, I don't want to get a piece of crap that won't give me good results or reliability...

Suggestions?

Thanks,
Travis

Travis,

Most people TRY to only buy a large stationary tool only ONCE.

Considering that the less expensive planers will do the job, but not as good, you'll soon be looking for a more "robust" one sooner than you expected.

It's like the people who buy motorcycles, they start out with something small, expecting they'll grow with it, and then before you know it, they're looking for something way larger. This leaves them with a somewhat hard to sell small bike on their hands.

I've always felt that its better to wait than to impulse buy something you'll know you're going to grow out of real fast.

Unless you need a plainer that will handle something wider than 13", I'd hold off and get the 735.

I've had mine since they first came out (and paid a lot less) and have never had a negative thing to say about it. Take for example the depth stop. On mine, if I set it for 1/2" thick, it will repeatably spit out consistently 1/2" thick boards, foot after foot. They (Dewalt) really did a good job when they designed/built it. Changing blades is a no brainer, they even include the tool to do it. No timely messing around with getting the three blades the same height, it just works.

One quarky thing; I've noticed that the finish is the same smooth feel whether you use the faster or slower speed, so I just leave mine set for the faster speed (less cuts per inch).

All in all, its a really great tool and well worth waiting for.

Best of luck, and try to wait, if you can.

Bruce

[toolguy1000]

a little different take here. try to decide what you want to use it for, then buy the most reliable piece of iron that will accommodate those plans and your budget. while this is almost heresy in some places, I've found it works well for me. the one thong to be careful of is the "tim the tool man" approach of "more power" for everything . you start out wanting a bench top planer and are sometimes led to believe that unless you have a 20" 3phase 10 hp "old arn" planer retrofitted with a byrd spiral cutting head, you're somehow making a mistake.

if you are a hobbyist, the ridgid 4330, or if you can find a delta 22-580 on ebay or CL, should be more than adequate. the 4330 was wood magazine's top value in its 2010 bench top planer test and the 22-580 was popular woodworking's best value in their 2004 bench top planer test. the dewalt 735 is a well regarded unit, but needs the optional extension tables ($50) to be truly effective, according to wood magazine. and @ $600 (without the tables), it is a little pricey.

and, (gasp), I've even briefly had a c-man 13" bench top planer with chip ejection just like the 735 that worked very well. it even had an auto lift feature that helped change cutting heights quickly and easily.

in answer to your "bang for the buck" question, the ridgid 4330 usually gets the nod. 3 blade cutter head and eligible for the LSA (lifetime service agreement). at least that's what wood magazine said.

[gsmittle]

in answer to your "bang for the buck" question, the ridgid 4330 usually gets the nod. 3 blade cutter head and eligible for the LSA (lifetime service agreement). at least that's what wood magazine said.

+1 on the Ridgid. I have the earlier two-blade model and that thing simply doesn't break. The planing quality with sharp blades is pretty good, too.

g.

[dbhost]

3 years on a Ryobi AP1301 here and plenty happy with it. Just used it tonight to plane some 4/4 curly maple. The finish was glass smooth... Snipe is managable with technique...

[steve-norrell]

I second Bruce's comments, especially the one that you should only buy a major (and expensive) tool if you plan to keep it along time. (My garage is full of old tools that have been upgraded. )

I have the Dewalt 735 and love it. I bit the bullet and got it because of the excellent reviews on this website. I also replaced the cutter head with a Byrd helical cutter head with graphite cutters and have never been sorry about that either.

All of the other planers mentioned have their good points and would be quite satisfactory in almost all instances. But, my advice would still be, buy the best model that meets your needs, even if you have to "save up" to do so. You will never be sorry that you did.

Regards, and good luck.

Steve

[LCHIEN]

a delta 22-580 (two-spped) or even a delta 22-560 (now sold as a TP-400LS) would be a good buy and have been popular. They have what I consider a requirement - locking cutterhead - and have done well in magazine reviews. They are often sold at discounts under $300 and sometimes are found used. I have a 22-560 and no complaints. the 22-540 (tp-305) lacks the cutterhead lock, i'd avoid it. The 22-560/TP400 is also a lot lighter than the DW735, a plus - I think the DW735 is around 80-something pounds and the Delta is about 60 pounds. Big difference if you have to pick up up from storage and put it on a bench to use it. Not such a big deal if it has a dedicated stand.

[JimD]

I like my old AP-10 (Ryobi) bought used for $100. I sharpened the blades and it works well. It is only 10 inches wide but most boards are not this wide. It does not hold thickness real precisely, and it will snipe if you aren't careful. But it will do a lot of work. And it is over 20 years old.

I have no doubt that there are nicer planers but "budget" planners appear to get the job done for several of us.

I will also say that when I spend more to get a top notch tool I enjoy them.

Jim

[3thumbs]

Don't overlook the Dewalt 734. You can pick them up at Amazon for a good price, and get free shipping as well. The Ridgid is a good machine as well.
I recommend not buying the big box cheapies, or you will snipe the first and last two inches of every board.
DM

[woodinville guy]

I have the Ryobi 13" one from a few years back, how does it stack up against the dewalt?

[wardprobst]

I had a earlier version of the Dewalt 734 and it was a fantastic little planer. They sell for $357 on Amazon now which was about what I paid for mine ten or more years ago. I did get an extra set of blades and belts but I never needed them. I only got rid of it because I ran into a deal on a Jet JJP12 jointer/planer combo that would save me space, gave me a bigger jointer and was quieter. All these lunch box planers are pretty noisy but I wear ear protection whenever I do that kind of work so unless it's a problem with the neighbors or family they are fine. The quality of the Dewalt was equal to the much more expensive Jet combo. The jointer part is superior to the Rigid it replaced but that's another thread.
HTH,
DP

[3thumbs]

You can occasionally find the DW734 at Toolking.com, reconditioned for well under $300. These aren't "used" but were sent back for some reason which was repaired.

[Taylormade]

+2 on the Ridgid, I have the earlier, two blade model, that works beautifully. I found it on Craigslist for $200, brand new. We took it out of the box together and assembled it for the first time. A lot of times, people will buy a shop full of equipment when they move into a new house, or retire, etc, thinking that they're going to set up shop, and never get around to doing it.

There are TONS of great deals on CL around here. Some rust bucket crap as well, but I've gotten a new 13" planer for $200, new Craftsman jointer for $50, and my latest score, an almost new (albeit with some "quirks") BT3K for $100 with new blades and the accessory kit.

As for snipe, any and all planers that don't have the exact length infeed and outfeed tables of the board you're working with are going to experience this. Grab a friend or those fancy rolling sawhorses and you'll be fine.

[Brado]

I am new here just found the site and am enjoying the opinions, my 2 cents worth is buy the best you can get. I saved and sacrificed to get my 735 and have no regrets, I do not have the extensions, however snipe is easily controlled without them. most of my tools are old,(my Delta drill press was my dad's and is over 30 years old) and any cheap ones I have bought I have regreted wasting the $$ on. I had read on the 735 that the blade life is short, however I mostly use it on red oak, purpleheart, maple and kelobra, and have put many BF through it and have yet to rotate them. Anyway good luck on your decision

[woodturner]

Most people TRY to only buy a large stationary tool only ONCE.

I generally agree, at least in principle. I think the challenge, though, is that it can be hard to know in advance how interested one will become in woodworking.

The portable planers such as the 735 may be the only planer some people can afford - or may be adequate for their needs. For the "serious" woodworker, a stationary planer would likely be the long-term goal, but they are often $2K or more, new.

If one thinks they will "go there", the Makita 2030 or 2030N is a great choice. Good, solid machine, sold in large volumes and thus readily available, but old enough that they can often be had for a few hundred dollars. Unless you one day need to plane a board wider than 12", the 2030 will last a lifetime, and repair and maintenance costs are minimal.